History

The History of Tri-County Electric Cooperative Association

Tri-County Electric Cooperative Association’s origins are traced back to 1936 when the Rural Electrification Administration (REA) was created. This New Deal agency was created to bring rural Americans the same comforts, like electric lights and electric motors that modern life provided to city residents.

The rural desire for electricity was passionate, but the means elusive. The vast distances between members made stringing lines and setting poles costly, generating little, if any, profit for electric utilities.

The Rural Electrification Administration opened the door to bringing electricity to rural America. Electric cooperatives-private partnerships owned and controlled by the people they serve - emerged as the principal borrowers of REA funds. By the end of 1936, nearly 100 electric cooperatives in 26 states had been formed.

Today, 1,000 electric cooperatives in 46 states serve 30 million Americans, or 10 percent of the population, and maintain nearly half the distribution lines in the country.

Soon after the cooperative first flipped the switch in 1940, 500 members stepped into the modern age. Bringing electrical power to the area in northeast Missouri was the founding goal of Tri-County Electric Cooperative Association which is still providing its residential and industrial members with reliable, low-cost electricity and superior customer service.

Touchstone Energy® Cooperatives is a national network of electric cooperatives across 46 states that provides resources and leverages partnerships to help member cooperatives and their employees better engage and serve their members. By working together, Touchstone Energy cooperatives stand as a source of power and information to their 32 million member-owners every day.